I ran seminars for parents wanting to learn about keeping the Internet safe for children.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

I wanted to be a "computer guy". You see, I thought that computer science was about playing video games the whole day. Ha! I’ve never been so wrong.

What’s your favorite food?

Pasta with pesto (say it 5 times… fast!).

What do you like to do outside of work?

I love to go out for beers and tsipouro (a Greek brandy) with my friends, or spend hundreds of hours playing board games!

Describe your role at Workable:

I started out as a QA Engineer but now work as a Test Engineer in the Syndication team, and also part of the Testing team. My role is to design test plans and implement automated tests for features of the Syndication team. The Syndication team is responsible for the integration of our product with third parties. The Testing team works to find possible bugs and errors in the Workable platform.

I do a mix of UI and API testing and since joining Workable I’ve used different technologies, testing tools and frameworks. We mostly write Java and Groovy and our UI tests are based on Selenium. I’ve written tests using TestNG, Junit, Cucumber. Since my job involves interacting with external services I’ve used tools in order to ‘mock’ the requests and responses of these external parties so we can reliably test our end (Workable).

How do you organise your work across two teams?

I take part in daily stand-ups with both teams so I can share information that might affect the other team and so that I’m in sync with what’s going on. I act as the link between the two. My role sits under our Operations department but I get to work with developers in our Product team too.

When did you join Workable?

2 May 2016.

Describe your first day:

A giant, over-friendly dog jumped on me when I entered the office! Then, after the shock, I had a tour around the offices and got my Mac. We don’t usually have dogs in the office, by the way. The dog belonged to one of our Account Managers. I haven’t seen the dog since!

There’s a really positive atmosphere here. You’re encouraged to discover and try new technologies, to find ways of simplifying the work you do, to be more flexible and work in a smarter way.

What’s the highlight of your day?

It’s probably after my meetings have finished. I grab a bottle of Perrier or a cup of coffee, put on my headphones and sit deeply in my chair. I feel focused and enjoy knowing that I’ve got the information I need to get on with my day.

What’s your biggest achievement since working here?

Probably testing the ‘Advertise’ step feature. This was the first feature released by the Syndication team. It means companies can use Workable to automatically post their jobs to loads of the best free and premium job boards and across social and professional networks.

What’s on your desk?

A pencil and a bunch of papers. I draw lines and circles when I’m thinking.

What have you learned since joining Workable?

A lot! I’ve used different frameworks, tools and technologies and got familiar with new ways of testing. I’ve learned on-the-job, which I’ve really enjoyed. I’ve had a lot of support, encouragement and help from colleagues and managers. There’s a really positive atmosphere here. You’re encouraged to discover and try new technologies, to find ways of simplifying the work you do, to be more flexible, and to work in a smarter way. Workable has a strong culture of encouraging this kind of innovation. People here respond well to new ideas and to suggested improvements to existing functionality.

What training have you done since joining Workable and how did it impact your work?

I went to a testing conference in London, where I learned about new, hot technologies and tools regarding testing. I also had the chance to meet several people from other companies and learn about their ways of working.

What company benefits do you most appreciate?

The great working environment and equipment, oh, and the free food and coffee!!!

What’s the best thing about Workable?

Our pergola (or, if you’re a ‘Silicon Valley’ fan our "palapa"!). It’s a massively popular feature of our beautiful terrace and offers some well-needed shelter from the sun when you’re eating lunch. Seriously, though, I truly believe that Workable is the best tech company to work for in Greece. Everyone here treats you with respect, there are lots of great company benefits, and some of the best engineers in the country and beyond. I’m surrounded by talented people who motivate me to learn new things, always try harder, and do my best.

The best thing for me is Workable itself. To really feel valued, to enjoy your work, and to work with colleagues who always push you to give your best is something lots of people want but never get. So when it happens, it’s really a game changer.